Normal training response in skeletal muscle of post-infarction heart failure patients

Congestive heart failure (CHF) patients experience reduced muscle fatigue resistance and exercise capacity. The aim of this study was to assess whether skeletal muscle in CHF patients has a normal training response compared to healthy subjects. We compared the effect of one-legged knee extensor (1-KE) endurance training in CHF patients (n=10), patients with coronary artery disease (CAD, n=9) and healthy subjects (n=13). The training response was evaluated by comparing trained leg and control leg after the training period. The fall in peak torque during 75 maximal 1-KE isokinetic contractions revealed that CHF patients were less fatigue resistant than healthy subjects in the control leg, but not in the trained leg. Peak power and peak oxygen uptake during dynamic 1-KE exercise was ~10–16% higher in trained leg than control leg. This training response was not significant different between groups. Muscle biopsies of vastus lateralis showed that fibre type composition was not different between trained leg and control leg. Capillary density was 6.5% higher in trained leg than control leg when all groups were pooled. In conclusion, the more fatigable skeletal muscle of CHF patients responds equally to endurance training compared to skeletal muscle of CAD patients and healthy subjects.